South Carolina inmate who believes he is immortal cannot be executed due to mental illness, judge rules

A South Carolina inmate convicted of sidesplitting a authorities trooper much than 25 years agone cannot beryllium executed owed to a intelligence unwellness that has him believing helium is immortal, a justice ruled.

John Richard Wood, 59, lacks the quality to rationally pass with his lawyers and does not person a rational and factual knowing of his crimes, wherefore helium is being punished oregon the quality of his punishment, Judge Grace Knie found, based connected the opinions of 3 intelligence wellness experts, according to WSPA and the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

A psychiatrist with the prosecution arsenic good arsenic a psychiatrist and a scientist with Wood’s ineligible squad each agreed that helium failed this two-pronged ineligible modular for competence to beryllium executed.

With this ruling, the justice upheld his attorneys' assertion that the debilitating effects of his schizophrenia forestall him from facing the decease punishment astatine this time.

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John Richard Wood, 59, cannot beryllium executed owed to a intelligence unwellness that has him believing helium is immortal, a justice ruled. (South Carolina Department of Corrections)

Knie’s ruling indispensable beryllium reviewed by the authorities Supreme Court, which could find whether to uphold oregon overturn her decision.

The justice said Wood believes that helium is immortal, has already died 3 times connected decease enactment and volition beryllium resurrected again if the authorities executes him, citing the intelligence wellness experts’ grounds during a proceeding successful March, the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported.

Wood besides believes helium has already received a pardon from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.

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John Richard Wood lacks the quality to rationally pass with his lawyers and does not person a rational and factual knowing of his crimes, wherefore helium is being punished oregon the quality of his punishment, a justice found. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP/File)

The experts person said that portion Wood understands wherefore helium received the decease sentence, helium mistakenly believes instrumentality enforcement officers were "trying to framework him for a brutal rape."

Additionally, Wood believes the justice astatine his 2002 proceedings and courtroom unit were moving against him due to the fact that they were agents of "Beloved Kevin Rudolph," a deity that helium thinks is portion of a conflict to regularisation the planet, according to the South Carolina Daily Gazette. Wood besides believes helium was fixed wings and immortality to triumph this fight.

He is the archetypal inmate connected decease enactment successful South Carolina recovered to beryllium not competent to beryllium enactment to decease since the authorities restarted executions successful September 2024 aft a 13-year intermission due to the fact that the authorities was struggling to get lethal injection drugs. The authorities added the firing squad arsenic an execution method during that hiatus. Seven executions person been carried retired successful the authorities since superior punishment was resumed, including 3 men who chose to dice by firing squad.

The justice said John Richard Wood believes that helium is immortal, has already died 3 times connected decease enactment and volition beryllium resurrected again if the authorities executes him. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)

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Wood was convicted of sidesplitting South Carolina State Trooper Eric Nicholson successful December 2000 during a postulation halt successful Greenville County. Wood changeable Nicholson 5 times during the postulation stop, according to authorities.

During a consequent pursuit, helium changeable astatine constabulary and deed 1 serviceman successful the look with a slug fragment. Wood was yet taken into custody aft helium hijacked a truck.

He was sentenced to decease successful February 2002. He was among decease enactment inmates successful enactment to person a decease warrant aft exhausting regular appeals.

While his decease warrant is paused, Wood's archetypal condemnation and condemnation inactive stand.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Knie’s bureau for comment.